Video in the C-Suite:
Executives Embrace
the Non-Text Web
in association with:
Key Findings
•Video is becoming a critical information source for senior executives. More than 80% said they are
watching more online video today than they were a year ago.
•Senior executives are also turning to video more frequently. Three-quarters (75%) of executives
surveyed said they watch work-related videos on business-related websites at least weekly; more than half
(52%) watch work-related videos on YouTube at least weekly.
•Work-related video can drive senior executives to take action. Overall, 65% have visited a vendor’s
website after watching a video. Younger executives, however, may be more fully engaged with this type of
media, and appear more likely to make a purchase, call a vendor, or respond to an ad.
•Executives can be receptive to video advertising. Overall, executives notice ads that run alongside
videos, and many are comfortable watching in-stream ads. Video-friendly younger executives are more
comfortable with these ad formats.
•The social element of online video is strong in the executive suite. More than half of senior executives
share videos with colleagues at least weekly, and receive work-related videos as often. Younger executives
appear very willing to share and view videos using social media.
•Organizations looking to reach senior executives with video should consider some of the
preferences voiced by the survey respondents. The survey found that executives like information in
a mix of text and video. They look to different outlets for different types of videos (e.g., business sites for
news, YouTube for testimonials). And many are willing to engage with longer videos.
© Copyright Forbes 2010
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Executives embrace the non-text web
Corporate executives may be just as happy viewing the
business information they seek online as they are reading it.
While the Web itself is in the midst of a video makeover, executives are transforming their habits to be more
open to video—the non-text Web—as a highly reliable and
trusted source for gathering and filtering business information. Text remains their preferred format, but executives
appear as willing to take action based on viewing a video as
they do reading an article.
Forbes Insights, in association with Google, surveyed
more than 300 C-level and senior executives at large U.S.
companies (more than $500 million in annual revenues) to
learn more about how they are approaching Web video as a
source of business-related information. The video portion
© Copyright Forbes 2010
of the survey follows up and expands on findings from
2009’s The Rise of the Digital C-Suite, a study published by
Forbes Insights (also in association with Google) that examined executives’ emerging video habits as part of a larger
look at how the use the Internet for business purposes.
In the nearly 18 months between the two surveys, video
appears to have evolved from a novelty into a mainstream
method for executives to receive business information.
Younger executives in particular appear more inclined not
only to view video, but also to create it and share it over the
business-oriented “social” Web. Their growing influence
within corporate America is likely to make business-related
video even more prevalent in the coming years.
3
Video traffic heads into the C-suite
It wasn’t that long ago that online video was considered a
novelty, more suited to skateboarding bulldogs than C-level
executives. But today, executives are clearly embracing
video, approaching the information they get from watching
no differently than the information they get from reading.
Video has, in fact, become a critical part of the Internet
mix over the past 18-24 months. In April 2010, Nielsen
IAG reported that almost three-quarters (72%) of U.S.
Internet users view videos online—amounting to 144 million people. Research from Cisco Systems* predicts that by
2014, “Internet video will account for 57% of all consumer
traffic” and “nearly 66% of the world’s mobile data traffic
will be video.”
As online video gains favor with consumers, it is also
carving a strong foothold among business users. According
to the Forbes Insights survey, 83% of senior executives said
they are watching more online video today than they were
a year ago. (Fig. 1)
In general, senior executives still prefer text, but remain
quite open to video. Overall, more than six in ten executives
(62%) expressed a preference for text, and 22% indicated
they would choose video. (Fig. 2) But as is becoming the
rule for emerging Web technologies, younger executives
are much more likely to select video over text. For example, 30% of executives under age 40 indicated they prefer
video for reviewing business information, compared to just
9% of those age 50 or older.
While the preference for text remains similar to what
it was when a similar sample of executives was surveyed
in 2009, it is also clear that executives are watching video
more frequently. 2009’s The Rise of the Digital C-Suite study
found that 64% of executives were watching work-related
videos on business-related websites at least weekly. The
2010 survey asked the same question, and 75% of executives
indicated they watch these videos at least weekly. (Fig. 3)
Figure 1: I watch more online video today than I did a year ago.
3%
2%
12%
32%
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree
• Don’t know
51%
Figure 2: When it comes to reviewing the business information you need,
what format do you prefer most?
72
64
62
54
• Total
• Under 40
• 40–49
• 50–plus
30
22
22
9
Text Video
*Hyperconnectivity and the Approaching Zettabyte Era; June 2010; Cisco Systems
© Copyright Forbes 2010
4
Figure 3: I view work-related video content...
...on business related websites.
26
29
20
12
8
5
...on YouTube.
18
Few corporate events present as many critical organizational
21
• Daily
• Several times per week
• Weekly
13
11
16
20
• Several times per month
• Monthly or less often
• Never
Of note is the shift among older executives. In 2009,
41% of executives age 50 or older said they watched videos
on business sites at least weekly, and just 11% did it daily. In
2010, the total for that segment jumped to 66%, with 15%
going to videos on business-related websites daily.
A similar jump occurred in the frequency by which
executives go to YouTube for business-related videos. In
2009, just 40% of executives said they viewed work-related
on YouTube at least weekly. This year, more than half of
the respondents (52%) indicated they did.
© Copyright Forbes 2010
Corporate applications:
Keeping the team on the same page
challenges as a corporate merger. As Continental Airlines
was joining with United Airlines to form the new United,
chairman and CEO Jeff Smisek used online video to keep
employees informed on key developments and challenges.
According to United EVP and chief revenue officer Jim
Compton, “it’s called ‘Jeff’s Journal’ and I think it’s been
proving a great way to help employees get to know the new
management team and get the cultures together.” Online
video, said Compton, is a tool “with great potential for communication, training,” and other corporate applications.
5
Video drives executives down the
purchase path
Executives are not only willing to watch work-related video,
but many will take action based on what they see.
In the survey, senior executives indicated that online
video has an impact on behaviors and choices. For example, 65% have visited a vendor’s website after watching a
video, and 53% have conducted a search to locate more
Figure 4: Have you done any of the following after watching a
work-related online video?
Visited a vendor’s website
65
65
64
66
information. (Fig. 4) Interestingly, the propensity to take
these actions cuts across age groups, as older executives are
about as likely to do this as younger ones.
Looking at other possible actions, it becomes clear that
the younger the executive, the more likely that an online
Web video can spur them to action. More than half (51%)
of those under 40 said they’ve made a business-related
purchase after viewing a video, compared to 26% of executives 50 or older. And younger executives will also take
actions from business-to-business ads that show up in a
video—over 40% of executives under 40 have contacted a
vendor after viewing a video ad on an online video (43%)
or YouTube video (46%). Those figures are significantly
lower for executives 50 or older.
Receptivity to ads
Clearly, engagement with multimedia is growing for executives, but are they also engaged with ads that accompany
or run alongside business-focused videos? Again, generational differences appear critical in this area.
Overall, two-thirds of senior executives said they notice
banner ads alongside videos they watch for work. (Fig. 5)
Younger executives are much more aware of them than
older ones.
Conducted a search for a vendor/product/service for more
information
53
53
53
53
Made a business-related purchase
42
51
43
26
Called a vendor
39
Figure 5: I notice banner ads that run alongside online videos.
45
43
Total
22
19
Contacted a vendor whose business-to-business ad showed
up in online video
47
23
8
Under 40
35
29
43
4
2
2
47
20
40-49
39
17
16
Contacted a vendor whose business-to-business ad showed
up in a YouTube video
49
21
10
4
50-plus
4
45
30
16
5
30
• Strongly agree
• Agree
46
23
11
0%
50%
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree
• Don’t know
100%
• Total • Under 40 • 40–49 • 50–plus
© Copyright Forbes 2010
6
When it comes to watching in-stream ads, including
those that are “must-watch,” (i.e., ones that must be seen
before a requested video loads), results are mixed. More
than two-thirds of respondents (68%) agree that they’re
comfortable watching in-stream advertising. (Fig. 6) Still
many apparently are irritated when they are forced to watch
an ad before they can see the video they’ve selected—48%
agree they’re not bothered by must-watch ads, but half are
bothered, 22% strongly so.
Still, age seems to be the defining factor in how
executives approach in-stream ads, as executives under
40—those most likely to participate in online video—are
the most comfortable with this ad format. Those over 50,
who are less video-friendly, are less at ease with in-stream
advertising.
Figure 6: Comfort with in-stream ads.
Corporate applications:
Video for Outreach
I’m comfortable watching in-stream advertising in online video.
2
Total
23
45
24
7
2
Under 40
30
49
16
4
49
19
North America, said his firm is a big believer in the value of
online video. As an executive, Justice has no strong preference
40-49
25
Chris Justice, president of payment systems-focused Ingenico,
between text and video, but instead tends to “click on what-
7
ever seems relevant.”
50-plus
7
36
42
11
5
But Ingenico has become a producer of onine video,
with materials appropriate for in-house staff, customers, and
I am not bothered by “must-watch” in-stream ads that come
before or after an online video.
prospects. “We do quite a bit of production,” said Justice.
“The marketing team creates libraries of training videos and
Total
17
31
28
22
2
Under 40
24
36
20
16
2
40-49
17
29
33
19
2
promotional videos.” And, in fact, said Justice, “I actually
find a lot of the videos to be quite helpful—especially the
training videos.” Ingenico-produced videos are available
both on the corporate site as well as on YouTube.
50-plus
4
25
• Strongly agree
• Agree
© Copyright Forbes 2010
34
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree
34
3
• Don’t know
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Video is business social
Anthropologically, we read alone and we watch in
a group. In other words, relative to text, video is a
more social medium. As such, there is a strong social
element to online video in a business environment.
The “viral” nature of online video today encourages sharing, especially for younger executives. The
same behavior that has made online sensations of
cute kittens and light-saber-wielding adolescents
also drives executives to recommend and share
work-related videos they find compelling, thought
provoking, or humorous.
Overall, 54% of senior executives share workrelated videos with colleagues at least weekly, and
almost as many receive work-related from colleagues.
(Fig. 7)
But age plays a critical role in the social nature
of video. Among executives under age 40, 28%
share or receive videos daily, but a mere 3% of
executives 50 or older do so. In other words, for a
large portion of younger executives, sharing videos
with colleagues is second nature, something that’s
naturally done over the course of the workday. But
older executives—whether less video-inclined or
more discriminating—are struggling more with
the social aspect.
A more significant generational difference occurs
when it comes to how executives use social networking sites to post or interact with videos, or, for
that matter, whether they are willing to create and
post videos themselves. Given that younger executives fall into the “sweet spot” for social media, it’s
no surprise that they are more inclined to use these
sites to interact with business-related videos.
Overall, nearly half (47%) of executives said they
post links to work-related videos to “networking”
sites at least weekly. That figure jumps to 69% for
those under age 40.
Figure 7: How frequently do you interact with online videos in the following
ways?
Share work-related videos with colleagues
Total
16
25
28
Under 40
31
12
40–49
50–plus
13
3
29
9
15
13
11
Receive links to work-related videos from colleagues
Total
16
24
19
30
Under 40
25
9
40–49
29
23
20
1
15
50–plus
12
Post links to work-related videos on business networking sites
(e.g., LinkedIn, Facebook)
Total
13
23
11
25
Under 40
7
40–49
32
25
12
14
1
7
50–plus
3
Watch business-related videos on Facebook
Total
14
19
12
26
Under 40
7
40–49
26
22
16
16
111
50–plus
Upload work-related videos to YouTube
Total
12
13
25
Under 40
40–49
14
5
13
22
17
17
11
50–plus
3
• Daily • Several times per week • Weekly
© Copyright Forbes 2010
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In addition, 65% of this same age group watches workrelated video on Facebook either daily (27%), several times
per week (26%), or weekly (12%). By comparison, executives age 50 or older nearly never turn to Facebook for
workplace video.
Senior executives are also active in uploading video
content to the Internet, but again, age determines the
degree of activity. Overall, 39% upload work-related video
content to YouTube at least weekly. But broken down by
age, 64% of executives under 40 upload content either daily
(25%), several times per week (22%), or weekly (17%). This
stands in stark contrast to executives 50 or older, where
only 5% of executives upload video at least once a week.
Corporate applications:
Creating and sustaining “the buzz”
Because her company is all about brands, Market America
SVP and co-founder Loren Ridinger is obsessed with generating “buzz.” The executive is, in fact, a prolific producer of
online video, continuously seeking to inform customers and
sales associates about the “latest and greatest” products.
Ridinger travels about half of the time, but that doesn’t
keep her from producing and sharing videos. Given a free 30
minutes or so “I’ll connect a microphone, turn on the webcam and upload a message or a product update,” she said.
Ridinger takes full advantage of most social aspects of
the Web, including video, blogs and related social media.
“I’m posting or talking about where I am, what I’m doing
and what’s coming out,” she said. “You need to recognize,
in the past it might have taken millions of dollars to create a
brand, but in today’s society you can do it all on the Internet
with a laptop and a BlackBerry.”
© Copyright Forbes 2010
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Developing your video playbook
To reach senior executives with video, organizations need
to pay close attention to the viewing habits of their targets. Below are some of the possible best practices for
business-focused video, based on the responses to the
Forbes Insight survey.
Mix text and video
The survey shows that 59% of senior executives agree that
if both text and video are available on the same topic on
the same page, they prefer to watch the video. (Fig. 8)
So whether developing advertising or providing training
materials, Web developers should consider offering both
text and video.
It is also important to be sensitive to another key issue
for business users of online video. Although 87% of respondents said their companies are comfortable with their
executives watching work-related video during business
hours, 44% still fear that their colleagues may see watching video at work as a waste of time. So producers of such
material, at least for the time being, might want to consider
avoiding any elements of presentation that could seem less
than business-like.
Match the message to the medium
Executives have different expectations for the videos
they see depending on the site where they’re viewing it.
When visiting business-related websites, senior executives
primarily seek out business news (74%), business insight/
expert advice (64%), and speeches and presentations (57%).
(Fig. 9)
When visiting YouTube, the interest shifts from news in
favor of more subjective content. The top three objectives
of a YouTube visit in a business context are customer testimonials (29%), product demonstrations (28%), and product
reviews (27%).
Figure 9: What types of work-related online videos do you watch most often
on business-related websites and on YouTube?
Business news reports
74
13
Business insights/expert advice
64
19
Speeches, event presentations, panel discussions
57
23
Case studies
56
19
Product reviews
54
27
Product demonstrations
Figure 8: If video and text covering the same topic are on the same Web page,
I will watch the video first.
50
28
How-to content
44
7%
4%
24
21%
Virtual tradeshows
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree
• Don’t know
30%
43
13
Customer testimonials
42
29
38%
0%
50%
100%
• Business-related websites • YouTube
© Copyright Forbes 2010
10
Another important preference to consider: 61% said
they prefer peer-generated material, and 59% said they prefer lighthearted work-related video.
Figure 10: How long do you prefer work-related videos to be?
3%
5%
Shorter is not necessarily better
There is a lot of conflicting “conventional wisdom” about
what the ideal length of an online video is. On the one
hand, video watchers have been attracted by quick video
hits that don’t take a long time to digest—they’d rather
watch segments of a speech than an entire speech from
beginning to end. On the other, shifting video trends—in
particular driven by the Web’s rise as an outlet for traditional broadcast media—has made viewers more accepting
of longer-form Web viewing.
Asked about their preferred length of work-related videos, nearly half (47%) the senior executives in the survey
said between 3-5 minutes. (Fig. 10)
9%
36%
47%
• Under a minute
• 1–3 minutes
• 3–5 minutes
• Longer than 5 minutes
• Don’t know
Methodology
The information in this report is based on the results of a survey and one-on-one interviews conducted by Forbes Insights in September and October 2010.
Forbes Insights, in association with Google, surveyed 306 executives at U.S. companies with annual sales exceeding $500 million. Over half (57%) held C-level
titles. The remaining executives held senior-level titles including SVP/VP/director (27%) and head of business unit/department (16%).
In addition, on- and off-the-record interviews were conducted with nine individual executives at companies fitting the survey profile.
Christiaan Rizy
Director
© Copyright Forbes 2010
Stuart Feil
Editorial Director
Brenna Sniderman
research Director
Bill Millar
Report Author
11
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